Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio Makes New $166.78 Million Investment in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 178,283 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $166,778,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $915.74 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a PE ratio of 46.06, a PEG ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $943.58 and a 200 day simple moving average of $977.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong August sales: Net sales increased 9.9% year over year, with comparable sales rising across regions and digitally enabled sales advancing 17.9%. The figures point to resilient member demand and continued e-commerce momentum. Costco’s August Sales Rise 9.9% as Digital Growth Stays Strong
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains broad: BTIG reiterated a Buy rating with a $1,125 target, while Bank of America maintained its Buy rating and $1,200 target. Analysts cited resilient core performance, market-share gains, and higher earnings estimates. BTIG Reaffirms Buy on Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term shareholder appeal: Commentary highlighted Costco’s consistent dividend growth since 2004, membership model, customer loyalty, and potential for continued earnings expansion.
• Neutral Sentiment: Store expansion: Costco is reportedly considering a new location in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, supporting its long-term warehouse growth strategy, although the potential site has no immediate earnings impact.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst valuation signals: DA Davidson reaffirmed a Neutral rating with a $1,000 target, while Bernstein retained a Buy rating but lowered its target to $1,144, indicating less room for upside despite confidence in the business.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: Jim Cramer and other commentators argued that COST trades at roughly 43–49 times earnings, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth slows or results merely meet expectations. Cramer Says Costco at 49 Times Earnings Is the Mistake Loyal Shoppers Keep Making
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory risk: The Department of Justice expanded a beef-pricing antitrust inquiry to Costco, seeking information on prices, costs, margins, purchasing, and supply-chain practices. Potential compliance costs or scrutiny could pressure sentiment. US DOJ Widens Beef Price Inquiry
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next shutdown: The company’s online marketplace reportedly went offline without notice, raising questions about its digital strategy, although the platform is not viewed as central to Costco’s core business. Costco Next Online Marketplace Shut Down

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.90.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.